“We must ask ourselves that why Turkey is talking with the US and Russia [over the north Syria developments], but not with the Syrian government?” Dr. Osman Faruk Logoglu, a senior member of Turkey’s Republican People’s Party (CHP), said in an interview with BBC on Wednesday.
He pointed to Turkey’s emphasis on its commitment to “Syria’s independence and territorial integrity”, saying, “Syria is our neighbor and we should directly talk to them” to resolve the issues.
Logoglu noted that regional peace and security will be more beneficial to Turkey than Russia and the US.
Therefore, he added, Ankara should start talks with the Syrian government because other agreements, like the Turkey-Russia deal, will not resolve the security issues permanently and will only lead to renewing the truce.
He was referring to an agreement between Russia and Turkey that was implemented on Wednesday to ensure Kurdish forces withdraw from areas close to Syria's border with Turkey and to launch joint patrols.
Turkey moved into northern Syria on October 9 after the US President, Donald Trump, pulled American troops out of the area.
Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes, amid growing international criticism of the attack.
MNA/PR